Young Writers Society

School was a living hell for me. It was more lonely here than it was at home even though Jacksonville High held two-thousand kids, my only friend here was Music class. The school's campus was filled with teens in their own cliques, I studied them as I walked to my parking space closest to the school gate. Waiting for the bell to ring I pulled out the guitar I kept in the backseat and the words to a song I didn't recognize popped into my head. I started to sing:


Then the words stopped coming, -the lyrics disappeared- from my head. The school bell signaling for class rang, it had snapped me out of my daze. Getting out of the car I looked up to see an incredibly attractive guy staring at... me?
As if reading my thoughts the boy smiled and waved at me. I wasn't sure if he meant for me to come over to him, so I just timidly waved back. He had black hair and was wearing black jeans, a black T- shirt and black boots. He started to move and I was afraid he would come over here- only putting the fact that I was clueless when it came to adresing the opposite sex. But he just turned around and headed towards the school. "Thank God." I said relived. The guy must have been at least 11 feet away but as if he heard me he turned back around and gave me a smile that took my breath away. Snapping out of my awe I realized that if I didn't start moving now I would be late for my first class.

* * *

The first half of school went pretty good, that is until I got to lunch and the torture began. I wasn't the most popular girl in school. My best friend, Valerie, had committed suicide three years ago that's when I really started to fall to pieces. I felt guilty because she started acting strange a week before it happened but I was so wrapped up in the life I had back then I failed to notice. I got really lonely and just stopped talking to everyone, eventually I had ended up replacing Valerie with my guitar, I was afraid to take the chance of finding a new best friend because I didn't want them to leave me either. Can you blame me? I'd lost my mother, my best friend, and I was on the verge of losing my father. Who else did I have to turn to but my music. At times I think it's the only thing keeping me sane.
My heart tugged and my vision became blurred, I let the loneliness was over me as I walked down the crowded lunchroom to my usual seat by myself. In the back Mandy Stiller put her foot in my path. I only had time to register her movement after I had tripped over her perfect tan, long leg and was falling. It was a good thing I had opted on an apple and a Diet Coke instead of the mashed potatoes for the apple only bounced off my head and the soda burst open soaking me and the floor around me. As laughter filled the room I tried hard to hide my tears that were now fighting to cone out. I looked up at Mandy's table and saw her groupies sharing her laughter I kept looking until my eyes rested on one particular person's.
The guy that I was staring at was the same one I had seen earlier today outside my car. He was sitting with Mandy's arm wrapped around his neck- the girl practically had him in a chokehole. I figured a hot new guy would immediatly grab her attention. He was staring at me but I averted my eyes not wanting him to see me cry; I tried to get up but it only resulted in me slipping in my spilled soda and falling again causing more laughter. Mandy took the chance to "accidentally" knock her tray of table spahgetti off the table and on to my head. I was on the verge of exploding with tears and I looked up to see the cute guy shaking his head. Then he got up and walked around the table until he stood directly in front of me. I cowered back afraid but then he did something that shocked the whole lunchroom -Mandy and I the most. He extended his hand towards me and I finally got up the nerve to look at him and search his eyes.
They were beautiful, his eyes were the most gorgeous blue I ever saw, they reminded me of my birthstone, aquamarine. They held love and compassion and hate, although I knew neither of the things could have been directed towards me they were still amazing to look at. I was still gazing at them with awe until something more beautiful distracted me, his voice.
"Hello, my name is Jasper...let me help you up... here take my hand." He hesitated as he spoke the words softly, as if not wanting to scare me. I hesitated before taking his hand thinking this could be some kind of trick, he was after all just sitting with the meanest girl in school not three minutes ago. I looked up into his eyes again, somehow knowing they would tell me the truth. He was also looking into my eyes and our gazes locked. A slow smile spread across his face. As I took his hand I noticed that the room had gone silent, all laughter ceased. "Now let us get you cleaned up, shall we." He said leading me out of the cafeteria. I didn't see her but rather I felt the daggers that Mandy was shooting towards me with her gaze. The phrase "if looks could kill" instantly came to mind.
Jasper led me into one of the girls' bathrooms and once again I found myself hesitating. He smiled at me reassuringly and I slowly went to the bathroom with him. He reached into his messanger bag and pulled out a cloth, he ran water over it and began running it through my long, fiery red hair trying to get the spahgetti out. When he was satistfied with his work he ran warm water over the cloth and started cleaning my face. Part of me wondered what the heck was wrong with this amazingly hot guy; why did he want to help a nobody like me? Why was he risking his clean reputation by helping some girl he hardly knew clean herself up in the girls' bathroom?
He reached into his bag once again this time retrieving a black T-shirt. He held it out to me and I blushed furiously, a smirk was slowly appearing on his face and he motioned towards one of the stalls. I went into one and removed my wet shirt and replaced it with his clean, dry one. The shirt was big and hung loosely on my small frame, it smelled of cinnamon and Axe body spray and it made me want to roll around in a pile if his shirts forever. I came out of the stall and he observed me- if he noticed the scars my cuts left he didn't say a word. I got scared when he started taking his belt off and came to stand behind me but relaxed when he fastened it around my waist so the shirt hugged me snuggly doing good thing for my curves, his hands stayed at my hips for a moment longer than necessary. He motioned for me to spin around and I complied shyly modeling my new outfit and was rewarded with one of his golden smiles.
"There," he said taking my hand. "Beautiful once again." I blushed. Nobody had ever applied the words beautiful to my description. His words were glib and made me want to swoon but if he had an alterior motive to his kindness I would not acknowledge him. His expression went from cocky to concerned and he raised an perfect eyebrow.
"Do you speak? Are you deaf or mute?" I realized I hadn't said a word this whole time. I opened my mouth wanting to thank him but instead the tears that I had been holding back started falling and I started to sob. Jasper wrapped his arms around me and let me cry on his shoulder.
"An- Anastasia." I said through sobs though it was barely audible.
"What?" He asked.
I looked up into his eyes. "My name is Anastasia Castlana." He took his hand and placed it on my cheek. We stared into each others eyes, his aquamarine blue and mine peridot green. I had a sudden urge to lean forward and kiss him, but I restrained.
"Well Anastasia, would you like me to escort you to your next class?" He said just as the bell rang signaling the end of lunch. I gave him a small nod and he started leading us out of the bathroom then took my hand in a protective way and asked me what was my next class.
"Music with Mr. Patini." I said simply. He transfered his hand from mine to my shoulder. People walking by stared disbelieving what they saw and I really didn't really blame them, I didn't even believe it, I was still waiting for the mob a football players to come running down the hall tackling me to the ground but it never happened. We made it all the way to the music room without any casualties.
Who is this perfect guy that doesn't see me as invisible?I wondered.
I expected Jasper to be gone by now but he walked up to the podium were Mr. Patini stood in one of his infamous grey suits- he wore one everyday and hasn't ever been seen in anything else- and handed him a note. Mr. Patini ran a hand over his sweating bald head. Then I stood in utter shock as both men started to walk towards me.
"Anastasia, since Jasper here is new and we seem to have filled up all the rest of our positions would you mind If I teamed you two upon the piano."
"I-I... sure" I said, it was the least I could do after he had been so nice to me.
"Brilliant!" Mr. Patini said clapping his hands together. "Alright people take your positions; Jasper you start us off and show us what you got my boy any song."
Jasper thought for a minute then took his seat at the piano and began to play. His fingers danced acrosss the keyboard and I recognized the melody immediatly. He was playing "You Found Me" by The Fray. It was beautiful but he had some flaws and missed some keys but nobody except me noticed, they were probably to engrossed in his beauty. He finished up the song and bowed. I was impressed he was almost as good me.... Almost.
"Excellent, now, my star pupil would you please entertain us with a song Anastasia?" I nodded my hand and took Jasper's place at the piano. I started to play my favorite song Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles". My fingers danced and mingled with the keys, taunting and inviting them to play a game with me. I lost myself in the song and when I was done the song transended into the one I had played on my guitar this morning and unknowingly started to sing:



I brought the song to a halt and the room erupted in applause, some students had tears in their eyes. I bowed and looked over at Jasper who was staring at me like I was an angel that had fallen from heaven. Students came over to me and said how great I was and that I had the most beautiful voive thhe had ever heard.
"I see your not so shy in the music room." Jasper whispered into my ear and for the first time today I smiled.